The Jokers' Love
by Loveless Granger
Summary: Hermione gets a job at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes as a last resort because of Fred. Why did Fred hire her when no one else would? Are there feelings there or just pity?
1. Chapter 1

Three years after the war saw many changes. One, Hermione was working at a joke shop. Any human worth their pay checks would know that that in itself is odd. They would say it is even odder when they find out she works at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. WWW belongs to the twins Fred and George Weasley, her ex-boyfriends brothers. Now, most people would think that would be the most awkward thing in the world. Well it wasn't. Hermione loved working there. She had a great time, good pay, good benefits and awesome bosses.

The twins, in turn, loved that Hermione was working for them. She was brilliant and was always smiling, which was good for business. When she wasn't working on the floor she was in the back helping with payments and ordering new ingredients for their jokes. It was only natural they treated her well. She was an absolute Godsend and they let her know that every day, especially Fred.

Fred had been nursing a little crush on the women since the day she saved him during the Battle of Hogwarts. She had pushed him out of the way of the exploding wall and miraculously saved them both. He would never forget her lying on top of him, looking down to see if he was okay. Her little hands grabbing his face to make sure she could see his eyes. He had been grateful for it ever since.

When he had found out that her blood status was still preventing her from getting a job he had try to talk to the ministry to see if he could pull some strings. But alas he couldn't. So he did as any Weasley would do. He offered her a job without even talking to George. George took it surprisingly well which made Fred happy but also a little nervous. He didn't want his brother to ask questions later. The questions that would be asked wouldn't be able to be answered with words. He would have to show him memories and that was out of the question.

George, on the other hand, was not planning to ask questions. He knew without his brother telling him that Fred liked Hermione in a not so platonic way. It had been obvious since the exploding wall. He was glad that Fred had offered her the job. He knew that she was going to work hard no matter what; it was a part of her. She was also a part of the family despite her break up with Ron. Ron had been a right jack ass to her and the family kicked him out after the break up. As far as the family knew he was back with Lavender and had proceeded to knock her up.

Hermione had been graciously accepted into the fold and well taken care of by the Weasley matriarch, Molly. Molly was everyone's favorite person because of her cooking skills and advice which had never been wrong. It was actually her idea that Hermione, who hadn't been at all happy in the relationship, break up with her youngest son. It was also her that noticed that Fred liked Hermione and had urged him to try and get her the job of her dreams. Of course when that hadn't worked she convinced him to hire her himself, explaining that anything that would keep her mind busy would be better than her sitting at home wallowing in self-pity.

Which brings us back to Hermione standing in the joke shop helping what looked like a 13 year old boy find the joke product he wanted without ripping her hair out. This child was changing his mind faster than she could shout lumos and it was seriously bothering her. Of course, having a headache in this kind of situation never helps, so when he changed his mind she lost it.

"Look, if you want to keep changing your mind go find an owner. I don't know the store as well as they do."

"Oh, okay, I'm sorry for troubling you ma'am."

Hermione relaxed visibly as the boy went looking for one of the twins.

"So", said the amused voice of one of the twins, "you okay?"

"No, Fred I am not okay. What would give you the slightest inkling that I am 'okay'", Hermione said.

"I didn't expect you to be okay. I just heard that sometimes asking after ones welfare was polite in certain societies."

"Well", Hermione began, "I have a headache, Ron is still being an arse about the break up, I'm tired and I just had an annoying customer. Why don't you do the math?"

"Well I would but it seems you are talking to the wrong twin", Fred said with a chuckle, "I'm no good at math."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone J this is the second installment of The Jokers' Love. I hope you all enjoy and just remember I own nothing but the plot.**

* * *

Hermione quickly gathered up her stuff to leave work. As soon as she was packed up she was moving toward the door only to have it blocked by a tall, broad shouldered Weasley.

"Ron, get out of my before I hex you."

"Aw, that's not fair Hermione. I just wanted to come visit you at work."

"Ron, you lost the right to do that when I broke up with you."

"But Hermione we know that you didn't mean to break up with me. I know you still love me, you just don't want to admit it."

"Ronald you are officially grating on my last nerve. I have had a particularly poor day and you being here is just making it worse. Now, get out of my way before I decide to hex you."

"I would get out of her way", said a voice Hermione recognized as Fred's. She sighed in relief. When she looked at Ron, she could see he was about to make a stupid comment. So she made a decision that she would probably regret.

She pulled her wand out and turned Ron into a platypus. Fred looked at her for a second and then burst into hysterics at the animal she had chosen for Ron's punishment. Hermione blushed realizing that she had let her temper get the best of her.

"A platypus, Hermione", Fred asked with a grin. "You're getting creative with your spells."

"Yes, well working for you and George has really gotten my creative juices flowing. Now I really do wish to go home because I am now in an even worse mood than before. I will see you tomorrow."

* * *

Fred watched Hermione go with a strange sense of foreboding. He knew something was going on and she was just refusing to acknowledge it.

* * *

Hermione made her way to her flat in muggle London. She knew she could have disapparated but she felt like she needed the fresh air to clear her mind. She was having issues with how she was forced to perform during the final battle and it was affecting her personal life. She couldn't handle the stress, nor could she go to a mind healer to get the closure she needed. She needed someone that was there to help her but she didn't want her family to know.

Thinking back on her actions at work, Hermione realized that Fred probably noticed that something was wrong with her. He would have noticed her having off days or even weeks where she just didn't feel herself. He would be the safest person to go to for help, she decided. He would not judge her or make her feel uncomfortable. Going to Fred was the best idea.

Fred went back to the back room and sat down. He started thinking about Hermione's actions since the break up and realized that's when many of the problems started. Ron had become one of the biggest arses and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Unless, he jumped up and went to get George to start planning.

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**Thank you for reading and please leave a review :).**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Welcome back everyone! I am not JKR therefore I do not own anything you recognize. I am going to dedicate this chapter to Forgelove. I hope you enjoy.**

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Fred and George sat at their kitchen table to plan.

"George, I really don't think that this is going to work", Fred was saying.'

"Why do you think it won't work? I happen to think it is the perfect plan."

"Hermione isn't like this. She would do anything of the sort."

"Well she needs to relax then doesn't she?"

"I agree but what if she tells mum, or worse, gets mad at us. You know how scary she is when she's angry."

"Fred", George started. "If I didn't know better I would say you were scared of Hermione."

"Not of her per se but of her angry", Fred said. "There is a clear difference."

"You have a point dear brother. Pissing off Hermione is probably not the best idea. We need to come up with something that she'd enjoy."

Fred thought about it for a second. Then all of a sudden he had a thought.

"What if we took her to a club? It would relax her and she could mingle on her own. She wouldn't have to stay with us the whole time."

Part of Fred was reluctant to say the last part. He wanted her to stay with him all night. He didn't want her to dance with anybody but him.

George looked up at him. "You know", he said, "That might actually work. Maybe you are smart."

"Thanks, George; it's nice to know you have faith in me after so long. When are we going to talk to Hermione about this?"

"We should ask her tomorrow at work. It should be easy. Say we are taking her out to compliment her hard work."

"Okay that works. Which club are we going to go to?"

"Well I personally think Wings will be best."

"I agree its more woman friendly than the ones we normally frequent."

"That's true. So we have a deal?"

"Yes, George, I think we do."

* * *

Hermione walked into work the next day a little worried about what Fred and George might do about her leaving the previous day. She felt horrible about leaving them to deal with the customers on their own despite knowing they were more than capable to handle them. She wasn't one that bailed on something she was told to do. Leaving work yesterday, while a good decision at the time, had made her feel guiltier than she had in a while and she didn't like it. She had a niggling feeling that she HAD to go apologize to them before anything else happened.

With those feelings in mind, Hermione got ready for the work day in record time. She wanted to get to work a little early to apologize to the two men she called her bosses and friends. They were the Weasley's that always knew how to make her smile even when she and Ron were dating. They had made everything easier for her after the war. She couldn't imagine how she would feel if Fred hadn't gotten her the job at the store. She loved working there and wouldn't trade the job for the world. The company wasn't bad either.

To Hermione the job was a miracle. But the person that got her said job was just plain amazing. She had always harboured a little crush on Fred but she hadn't acknowledged it in the past. When he had come to her with the offer of a job she had wanted nothing more than to snog him senseless. It was all of her dreams come true.

She quickly left her apartment and then apparated away when she was in the alley. When she arrived at work she realized she was the first one there. She was slightly confused as to why that was because the Twins were normally always there first. They loved showing up early and scaring her out of her wits when she walked through the door. Not that she was complaining about having a scare-free morning.

When the twins did show up she was already working on the inventory on their potions ingredients. They looked at each other with a mischievous gleam that they were known throughout Britain for. They quickly and quietly snuck up behind her and poked her sides at the same time making her scream and jump.

"What in the hell were you two thinking scaring me like that", Hermione screamed, her hair billowing out around her. "I have to redo these inventory sheets now! I was working on them for half an hour this morning."

"Geez Hermione-", Fred started.

"We're sorry-", George continued.

"We didn't think about-."

"All of your precious work. We just wanted to say hello to you."

"Well that was a bloody fantastic hello if I do say so myself", Hermione said with a little bit of a chuckle.

"Yes well we did this because we actually do have a question for you", Fred said with the infamous Weasley Twin glint of mischief.

"Okay, what's up?"

"Well", George started, "We want to reward all your hard work by taking you out for a little fun this evening."

"So basically you want me to go out to a club with you?"

"Well, yes we would", Fred said simply.

Hermione was in shock. She had never gone out except with Ginny. She didn't want to show up with two guys because of the gossip that might ensue. She didn't want a repeat of fourth year to happen. But the idea of going out to a club with Fred was too good to pass up.

"Alright then, I would love to go to a club tonight. I just need to find something to wear."

"Well then, that's that settled and you can floo Ginny now and tell her that at your lunch break you need to go shopping for a club dress."

Hermione smiled at them. "You two are the best. I will do that now."

The twins grinned at each other as she left. She was finally relaxing.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione quickly made her floo call to her girlfriend to see if she was able to go shopping with her during her lunch break. She really wanted to look good for that night. When she finally got through to Ginny, she was nervous. She wasn't sure how to tell her that her twin brothers were taking her out to a club and that's why she needed the dress. On one hand, Ginny would be really cool about it and think it was great. On the other, more likely hand, she would want to hex Hermione with her infamous bat bogey hex.

Hermione had absolutely nothing to worry about. Ginny was absolutely ecstatic Hermione was getting out again; even if it was with her twin brothers. If anyone could show her a good time it was them. What made Ginny happier though was that Fred might actually make his move on Hermione. She had been expecting him to do that for the better part of three years now. He was desperate enough.

Ginny automatically agreed to meet Hermione on her lunch break to go get a dress for the club. She hadn't been shopping with her best girlfriend in forever and they would probably end up with more clothes than they originally planned on buying. That's what usually happened. They would go out for one thing and then end up with the item and twenty other items. Hopefully they would tone it down this time.

* * *

Hermione ended the floo call and got back to work. She hated doing inventory but it kept her distracted from thinking about Fred and why he and his brother really wanted to take her out to the club. On the one hand they could really be grateful for all of her hard work or on the other hand they could just be pulling her chain. She really wants them to be grateful. She wouldn't be able to handle it if they were just joshing her. She had always been a bit sensitive to the normally polite teasing's of the Weasley Twins but this would be plain hurtful if they were playing a prank.

* * *

Hermione's lunch break came around noon that day so she flooed over to the Burrow to meet with Ginny. Despite what everyone outside of the family thought she and Harry were taking it slow. He didn't want to do anything that she might regret later. There was also the fact that they had gotten into a big row after he had picked her up one day from a shopping trip with Hermione. Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy had been in the same store and they got to talking. Harry saw Blaise and Ginny talking and automatically assumed she was cheating on him. He was slightly insecure when it came to relationships.

Ginny was mad at Harry about the whole thing. He should've known that the last thing she would do to him is cheat on him. But, alas, Harry was as thick-headed as he had been in school.

The two girls left for muggle London to find a suitable dress for a club. It didn't matter that she was going to a wizard club, muggles made the best clubbing clothes. They were always the perfect colour, length and style without the use of magic. They were usually less expensive than wizard clothes anyways.

It took them only twenty minutes to find the perfect dress. It was a purple strapless dress with ruffles at the bottom. Under the bust was a line of rhinestones. Even though they found it in the homecoming section it was the perfect dress for that evening. Hermione felt so much better about the evening until she realized she didn't have shoes.

"Oh my God", she panicked. "We don't have shoes to go with it Ginny!"

Ginny looked at her for a second and then grabbed her wrist, half dragging her to the shoe department.

They found the shoes almost as soon as they got there. They were a pale pink colour that went well with the dress. Hermione was feeling much better than she had that morning when the twins had asked her to go to a club. She had been extremely nervous about it. But because of Ginny's help she had a new outfit that would help her exude a confidence she didn't feel.

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**A/N I'm sorry guys I know you wanted this to be the clubbing chapter but I figured if I did that the chapter would end up being like 3,000 words and I'm not sure how I want to write that scene any way. Here are the links for the shoes and the dress cuz I'm sure you guys are curious just remove the space.**

** www . milanoo Attractive - Pink - Patent - Leather - Womens - High - Heels - p180244 . html**

** www . milanoo p188436 . html ? searchKeyword = 1**


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